Kacy Rodgers Leaving?
January 21st, 2025
Interviews with Packers.
It’s been eerily quiet at One Buc Palace recently, which is making Joe wonder what’s going on behind closed doors.
Many (not all) Bucs fans have been hollering for Todd Bowles, fresh off a 10-win season and his third division title in as many years as Bucs head coach, to get run.
In a perfect world, many of these same fans holler, Bucs offensive coordinator Liam Coen will be promoted to head coach.
As the creator, curator and overall guru of Pro Football Talk, the great Mike Florio likes to say, silence invites speculation. And per a nugget from NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, there may be a shakeup coming to the Bucs’ defensive staff.
Rapoport reports Bucs defensive line coach Kacy Rodgers is interviewing with the Packers for the same coaching position. Well, why on earth would he move from Tampa to Green Bay for a lateral position?
Could it be that Bowles is shaking up his defensive staff? Perhaps. Rapoport notes Rodgers’ contract is up with the Bucs.
Rodgers has been a Bowles’ coaching brother-in-arms for years dating back to when the two worked for Bill Parcells in Dallas. He even called plays for the Jets defense was Bowles was head coach. So for Rodgers to up and leave for the same position — going from Tampa to Green Bay (in the dead of winter) suggests Rodgers knows he’s not safe with the Bucs.
Joe likes Rodgers a lot despite how Joe has been harsh on him and the rest of the Bucs defensive staff’s inability to develop a drafted edge rusher.
Rodgers has done a wonderful job working with defensive tackles.
This season and last, the Bucs were the fourth-worst team in passing yards allowed per game. Four of those 2023 teams in the bottom five of this category either have new head coaches or new defensive coordinators.
The Bucs have stood pat. Well, maybe until now.
#Bucs DL coach and run game coordinator Kacy Rodgers is interviewing today with #Packers coach Matt LaFleur for their open D-line position, sources say.
Rodgers' contract in Tampa is up and he’s viewed as a top free agent assistant who will have a robust market.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 21, 2025
January 21st, 2025 at 10:17 am
I’m ok w him leaving but Coen is going to break my heart if he leaves
January 21st, 2025 at 10:20 am
The defense was bottom in the league so their coaching staff resume reflects that.. Change them all if it makes the Bucs winners in 2025!
January 21st, 2025 at 10:21 am
Well its nice to know they might be doing something to fix that terrible defense.
January 21st, 2025 at 10:23 am
GOOD RIDDANCE
January 21st, 2025 at 10:39 am
Total yards against the run: Buccaneers ranked 4th out of 32
Yards per run: 4.3 Ranked 10th.
The top 5 teams in total yards against the run all made the playoffs.
Of the top ten in yards per carry only the Jets and Colts failed to make the playoffs.
With all the (uninformed) talk about sacks, the Buccaneers still finished 7th in sacks and only the cowboys among the top seven failed to make the playoffs.
I’d say Rodgers has a damn good resume. What did in the Buccaneers was lack of turnovers. Only seven interceptions. That is pathetic. Only three teams had fewer interceptions: Browns, Giants and Jaguars. Three of the four worst teams in the league. The defensive backfield was the team’s downfall.
January 21st, 2025 at 10:48 am
So the defensive assistant who based on results probably did the best job is leaving. Sounds about par for the rest of the coaches. Good luck in Jacksonville Liam. Hopefully when we clean house a year too late there’s a decent HC candidate available.
January 21st, 2025 at 10:51 am
If Kacey Roger leaves, then I demand Larry Foote and Kevin Ross leaves too.
January 21st, 2025 at 10:51 am
Buddha
As always thanks for a wise and grounded observation. I’d like to add a bit.
“The defense was bottom in the league so their coaching staff resume reflects that..”
Where are you yahoos getting that? Google is your friend! Do you know how to do any research? Guys like Buddha and DR are not pulling these factoids out of their rectums
Sooo a factoid…The Bucs D was not the worst in the league. In fact if you go to
ProFootball reference the Bucs are 16th overall right in the middle of the entire league. That’s measured on points given up which is my favorite. Again at the end of the day they don’t ask How? they as How many?
For those looking for more ammo to hammer BOWLes go to Fox Sports. Their metric is yards given up. The Bucs are still NOWHERE near the bottom. They ranked 18th.
Seriously! Where are the guys getting this stuff? From their nether regions?
January 21st, 2025 at 10:55 am
I’m sure it was tough for Bowles to release Rodger’s, his old friend. Rodger’s must have been underperforming in Bowles’ eyes to be let go. Hopefully Rodger’s gets a job soon, hopefully in AFC!
January 21st, 2025 at 11:03 am
I get this feeling Coen is outta here for Jags country
January 21st, 2025 at 11:06 am
The only good unit on the defense lol…
If Bowles stays we need a new DC but that wont happen. Not even a knock on bowles but we need fresh ideas things are stale we seem figured out.
January 21st, 2025 at 11:06 am
As to speculation for Rodger’s departure there could be a number of reasons.
JimBobBuc states one for sure. But there are others. Perhaps GB gave him an offer he couldn’t refuse. Perhaps he grew tired of the frequently unreal expectations of Buc fans and wasn’t going to hang around to get scape goated.
If we find out the “real” deal from GB as in next in line to be OC or a lot more $$$ it’s hard to know. And it could be a simple as a relationship that has run it’s course and either Todd and Kacy or both thought it might be time for some fresh air.
Oops let me get in line with the blog credo. It’s clearly Todd Bowles or should I say Bowels fault! Rodgers no longer respects him? How about Todd has bad breath and if he doesn’t start gargling soon he’ll lose even more guys. Just trying to lower my standards so I can fit in.
January 21st, 2025 at 11:11 am
For the last 8 months I’ve been trashing Bowles for not moving or replacing his DL and CB coaches. Now I am starting to see the pattern. Rodger’s contract expires soon so Bowles don’t have to say you’re fired or demoted. He can just say we are not, and when I say we, I think Licht has already gone over this with Bowles as did when they let go of Leftwich and others, that there has to be changes. Just hope Coen come back to built on what the Bucs have built so far
January 21st, 2025 at 11:44 am
Nick Rapone, and Kevin Ross should be next. Both go back with Bowles to their college days. Not to many new ideas in our secondary coaches room, and it shows. Time for an infusion of some youth to our defensive coaching staff. Todd helped find OCs Dave, and Liam, surely he can find some one better then the 70 year old Rapone? When Kiffin lost Edwards, and Lovie, he found Tomlin, and Barry. Nice coaching tree.
January 21st, 2025 at 11:57 am
Every single defensive “coach” should be on the chopping block IMO.
January 21st, 2025 at 12:10 pm
“Silence invites speculation,” or in the media “If I don’t have any facts then I’m free to make sh!t up.” That’s why the majority of Americans hate the media.
January 21st, 2025 at 12:12 pm
Potential Replacement
* Defensive line – Aaron Whitecotton
* Assistant defensive line – Shaq Wilson
January 21st, 2025 at 12:23 pm
Maybe the guy who acquires the talent, Jason Licht, should be under the gun for the poor performance of the Dline considering his high draft picks JTS and Logan hall are both busts and their savior this year Diaby sht the bed. Maybe someone else should be picking at the top of the draft and let Licht pick weigh in later on where he clearly has a better track record.
January 21st, 2025 at 12:30 pm
Coen’s gone, folks. No way the Jags pass on him, and he’d be a fool not to take the job.
January 21st, 2025 at 12:50 pm
This makes sense. I seem to remember a Joe post with Todd not giving away any information about possible changes. Reading between the lines, he knew then. Good for Rodgers if he goes to the Packers. Maybe there is going to be some changes after all. Maybe we will bring Saleh on board. He has been consulting with the Packers on defense since getting fired from the Jets.
January 21st, 2025 at 1:06 pm
Glazers will break their silence soon and inform everyone that Liam Coen is our new HC, thank Todd Bowles for all his hard work and 3 division titles……….blah, blah, blah.
🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼
January 21st, 2025 at 1:10 pm
At least somebody here realizes the d line is the bright spot on defense. Rogers probably would leave to go somewhere with a stable head coaching position. Having co coordinators is dumb to begin with and this good because it means that likely contracts are up across the board.
January 21st, 2025 at 1:12 pm
Hire Suh
January 21st, 2025 at 1:15 pm
Amen Hodad, new infusion At least new ILB, CB and especially the DL Coaches. The current one should sign somewhere else this off season
January 21st, 2025 at 1:24 pm
Can’t get a guy to bench press 400# if the max he can lift is 250#. Can’t turn a 6 sack Guy into double digits no matter how much you teach them technique. Either they have it of they don’t.
Coen looks like a star because of the weapons and the ground work laid before he even walked thru the door. Defense Coaches looked like Dog Shat because there was a lot of it on the field in 2024.
Consider this a lateral promotion but he is going to a team where the trajectory is on an upward trend and not just the flat line season to season. is a one and done more successful than a play away from a Conference Championship. Packer’s are getting better and the Bucs are pretty much at it’s apogee.
January 21st, 2025 at 1:48 pm
DL was not the problem. Losing Rogers wouldn’t help. Most likely take a step back in production next season. Todd should be asked to bring in new Defensive coaches to level up on the ones who did poorly. Kacy was not one of them.
I’m still adjusting to this new world where people are completely comfortable spouting out falsehoods because to them they FEEL true. If they just stay in the bubble where everyone around them repeats it to reinforce it to one another. Some define this as truthyness or Alternative facts. When you say them in public people are going to correct you.
January 21st, 2025 at 2:09 pm
Deff don’t think he should leave. Our Dline wasn’t the problem. Pass defense is very porous. It’s the DBs coaching that should get a shake up and maybe even that is bad to say. At one point every single DB was out except Zyon. Pulling guys literally from the streets and getting them ready is no easy task but this is the NFL and every team has to deal with injuries
January 21st, 2025 at 2:29 pm
peace cacease…take others wit ya
January 21st, 2025 at 2:33 pm
Need a DC. Let Bowles coach the entire team. Selah would be good.
January 21st, 2025 at 2:46 pm
So Bowles record with the Bucs, including playoffs, is 8-10, 10-8 and 10-8. This year, 6 of the 8 losses came as a result of Bucs beating Bucs. Players, coaches, total team effort.
It would be good to see what Bowles could do if he wasn’t so thinly stretched between two huge jobs. The modern NFL is too competitive for that.
Let’s go. Todd – full time head coach. Someone young and aggressive for DC.
This is a position I’ve held btw. No Bowles hate here. Criticism is not hate, it expresses a desire to be better.
January 21st, 2025 at 3:04 pm
Eerily quiet at One Buc because they’re discussing moving Bowles (61 and talked about Tampa being his last job) to the front office so they can keep Coen? I understand what you’ve heard about Bowles being the coach next year but that was before Ben Johnson was hired by Chicago and now Coen is the number 1 pick for the Jags.
1. Did this before with Bruce Arians
2. Would make sense as to why Rogers is taking interviews and his contract hasn’t been renewed yet…
January 21st, 2025 at 4:00 pm
Take todd with you
January 21st, 2025 at 4:05 pm
WiscoJoe:
Was thinking the same thing.
Todd would be great in the front office, but is he willing?
January 21st, 2025 at 5:46 pm
Interesting points, WiscoJoe and ^^mtn^^. Todd is on the NFL committee. He has a couple of years left on his contract and I don’t think it’s time for him to transition into a front office job quite yet. But you never know.
January 21st, 2025 at 5:55 pm
heyjude:
Ideally, Coen could use another year or 2 as an OC.
Would be nice if they could work it out.
The timing would be about right
January 21st, 2025 at 6:53 pm
He is great with DT’s, Edge not so much. Addition by subtraction
January 21st, 2025 at 8:13 pm
If Kacy Rodgers gets to move up with an offer from the Packers, he should take it!! Green Bay is the one NFL franchise owned by its FANS! Tampa Bay would have been, too, but the 1970s ownership figured that was anti-American. Central Florida football fans raised the original $40M franchise price for the franchise. The NFL collective ownership freaked out, brought up a crook from So. FL named Culverhouse, and cut the price in half. The sorry result is franchise history. I heard the story from one of the folks involved in raising that $40M. It’s taken a long time to erase the curse. If anyone on here thinks I’m bullsh1tting, let me know.
January 21st, 2025 at 8:30 pm
Hey Joe, what happened to my earlier historical comment?
January 22nd, 2025 at 4:56 am
Agree ^^mtn^^ – That would be great and perfect timing for all.